Hi everyone,
There is a new line up for Asus notebook which support PnP eGPU. Just like the MSi and Alienware eGPU proprietary cable connected to the laptop but this one is pretty small. It's called XG Mobile GPU running at PCIe x8 Gen 4.0 3.0 link (correction per ASUS tech specs).
The proprietary cable also carry a usb type-c connection from the notebook to the eGPU which gives extra USB ports.
It's only available for the Asus ROG Flow X13 (for now), powered by AMD Ryzen latest CPU (5000 series) and a price for two Zephyrus G14 for this whole setup. 😯
Interestingly, the XG Mobile GPU is powered by the next gen GPU from NVIDIA up to RTX3080 series** and its really small compared to MSI and Alienware eGPU enclosure.
So, what do you guys think?
Tech Specs
| Connection to PC | ROG XG Mobile interface(PCIE Gen3x8) and USB Type-C combo port |
| I/O Ports | 1xHDMI 2.0 1xDP 1.4 1xRJ-45 Jack 1xDC input jack 4xUSB 3.2 Gen1 port 1xSD Card reader(Standard)/UHS-II(312MB/s) |
| Power Supply | 280W Power Supply |
| Dimensions | 20.8 x 15.5 x 2.96 cm |
| Weight | 1 KG |
| Graphics Card Support | NVIDIA® GeForce RTX™ 3080/NVIDIA® GeForce RTX™ 3070 |
| Model Support | ROG Flow X13(GV301) |
It's the dream. AMD Ryzen processor with RTX-3000 series GPU, at PCI-E x8 speed? AMAZING. Very excited to see benchmarks on the 26th!
Also, there's a video from The Tech Chap showing a bit of gameplay, with the internal GTX 1650 and also the external 3080. VERY promising.
To do: Create my signature with system and expected eGPU configuration information to give context to my posts. I have no builds.
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@jkeychen, note that 3080 inside is the mobile variant, not the desktop variant. It may be a deal-breaker for somebody.
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Super interesting! It’s a shame they went with a proprietary connector, makes me feel it’s a bit of a flex rather than a genuine product they plan on pushing.
also interesting what this means for loopback performance.
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Is this an oculink port?
If so, we could use it to connect other gpus as well.
To do: Create my signature with system and expected eGPU configuration information to give context to my posts. I have no builds.
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@matthias_hofmarcher, It's most likely an implementation of OCuLink-2 in this ASUS connector to carry PCIe 3.0 x8 for the eGPU. I like the clever use of USB-C to carry expansion I/O ports as well as Power Delivery to charge the laptop.
@jkeychen I added tech specs from ASUS in your original post to clear up some information. This is the highest performing eGPU solution atm. The proprietary port, ROG XG Mobile interface is based on OCuLink-2 and USB-C so it's not as locked down as Alienware Graphics Amplifier.
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2021 13" ASUS ROG Flow X13 (RTX3050Ti) [R5K,8C,H] + RTX 3080 @ 64Gbps-XG (XG Mobile) + Win10 20H2 [build link]
@itsage thanks for that 
It might not be for everyone but asus has step up the game by implementing oculink interface for their laptop. There is a slight possibility that custom enclosure using the same interface might came up too (finger cross).
@matthew_kwong yup, it's a mobile 3080 and it's not as fast as the desktop RTX3080 but just look at the size. Dang!
It's using an MXM card with a laptop cooling system. With the built-in 280W PSU, it may not be very cool or quiet vs a typical gaming laptop.
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What I'm hoping for is further development of this connector/connection. Ideally we'll have a smaller footprint enclosure that can accomodate standard PCIe GPU. In other words, a hybrid of AGA and TB3 eGPU.
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• external graphics card builds
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2021 13" ASUS ROG Flow X13 (RTX3050Ti) [R5K,8C,H] + RTX 3080 @ 64Gbps-XG (XG Mobile) + Win10 20H2 [build link]
One more crucial piece of information is no hot-plug support (similar to AGA and M.2).
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• external graphics card builds
• best laptops for external GPU
• eGPU enclosure buyer's guide
2021 13" ASUS ROG Flow X13 (RTX3050Ti) [R5K,8C,H] + RTX 3080 @ 64Gbps-XG (XG Mobile) + Win10 20H2 [build link]
I'm super interested in this, though the thing I fear about it the most is how loud the XG Mobile eGPU will be when under load, especially since that internal view graphic basically looks like a blower style cooler.. the WORST as far as dBA is concerned historically. I would also hope they would implement the connector itself in other laptops like something with a Ryzen 5000 that didn't also have a dGPU perhaps with a larger panel. I know super edge case for an already edge case product offering.
This looks promising, but I think the #1 factor that will steer me away from it and towards solutions that still impose thunderbolt bandwidth limitations is the noise thing this is going to generate. I've gotten to the point where if it's not a low-key whoosh or silent I don't want it.